Safety plug block



Jan. 14, 1969 J. HUSEBO 3,422,389

SAFETY PLUG BLOCK Filed Aug. 1, 1966 FIG,

FIG; 2

INVENTOR JAMES L. HUSEBO syil lw v United States Patent Oflice 3,422,389 Patented Jan. 14, 1969 3,422,389 SAFETY PLUG BLOCK James L. Husebo, 5132 Evans St., Omaha, Nebr. 68104 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 530,443,

Feb. 28, 1966. This application Aug. 1, 1966, Ser. N0. 569,466 US. Cl. 339-37 2 Claims Int. Cl. H011 13/44; E05b 65/00; E05b 65/32 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is a continuation-in-part of the applicants co-pending patent application Ser. No. 530,443, filed Feb. 28, 1966, titled, Plug Block.

The following drawings show only one example of a way in which the principles of the plug block of this invention can be used and it is understood that these principles can be used in a product considerably changed from the example shown, all within the spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an electrical plug block of this invention shown as applied to two of the prongs of a three-pronged plug, the latter being shown in dotted lines.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

The plug block of this invention is generally indicated at in FIGURE 1 and has a body 12 having a first prong recess in a forward side 30 of the body, the recess 20 being of a size for receiving the apertured prong 34 of the plug 40 of an electrical cord 42, as seen in dotted lines.

The first prong recess 20 is elongated in depth having side walls 24 presenting an effective prong-receiving space 44, which latter, as viewed from the outside of the prong recess 20, looks substantially like the recess 20 appears in FIGURE 4 since it happens to be of a uniform cross-section throughout the majority of its length.

The prong-receiving space 44, as viewed from the outside of the prong recess 20, is defined by those portions of the prong recess 20 which are in alignment with the outermost end 56 of the recess 20 whereby the space 44 defines substantially that area of the recess 20 which can be actually occupied by a straight pron-g.

The body 12 has a retainer opening 60 extending through another side 62 of the body 12, the said other side preferably being the top side as seen in FIGURE 2 and the retainer opening 60 being in alignment with the prong recess 20 as viewed in any vertical cross-section extending through the recess 20, such as the crosssection shown in FIGURE 2.

The retainer opening 60 extends transversely to the prong recess 20 and preferably at a right angle or normally thereto.

An elongated retainer 70 is disposed in the retainer opening 60 and extends into the prong recess 20 beyond that portion of the prong space 44, above defined, which is farthest from the entrance 78 of the retainer opening, whereby when the retainer 70 extends through the prong opening 84 of the prong 34, the retainer 70 will retain the prong 34 in the block 12.

Releasable preventing means 90 is provided for preventing the removal of the retainer from its prong-retaining position.

Such preventing means can have many forms; an example of one form is shown in FIGURE 2 in which the preventing means involves providing the retainer with preferably integrally attached prong retainer handle to which the 'outer end of the prong retainer 70 is attached.

The prong retainer handle 100 preferably has a lockhasp receiving opening extending horizontally therethrough normally to the elongated retainer 70.

The body 12 has a prong handle jacket projecting therefrom and attached thereto in a position for extending around the handle 100 beyond the hasp opening 120 at times when the retainer 70 is in its prong retaining position.

The jacket 140 has a hasp aperture extending horizontally therethrough for receiving the hasp of a padlock 174, the hasp aperture 160 being disposed in alignment with the opening 120 in the handle 100' so the padlock hasp 170 can be passed through both to lock the handle 100 to the body 12 sufficiently to hold the retainer 70 in a retaining position with respect to the prong opening 20.

As would be best seen in FIGURE 2, the releasable preventing means 90 comprises a lock means 174 and the releasable preventing means 30 is so constructed that when the lock means 174 is unlocked and removed, and the retainer opening is disposed with its entrance downward, and since the wall surfaces of any prong aperture 20 do not bind excessively against the prong means 34 received therein, then the retainer 70 will fall out of its retainer opening for convenient removal therefrom, or can be removed by gripping an upper part 175 of the handle 100 which protrudes beyond the jacket 140.

As best seen in FIGURE 2 and also in FIGURE 4, the retainer opening 60 has an entrance 210 larger than the retainer 70 for ease of insertion thereof.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the body 12 further has a second and like prong recess 300 which is like the recess 20 and is disposed alongside and preferably parallel to the recess 20, the retainer opening 60 extending through the body 12 to the second prong recess 300 and extending into the second prong recess 300 a distance such that the innermost end of the retainer 70 extends at least as far across the second recess 300 as above described as necessary for retaining the prong 34 in the prong recess 20.

Preferably the retainer opening 60 has lowermost end 360 forming a socket 362 in the body 12 entering from the second prong recess 300 for receiving the lowermost end 360 of the retainer 70 such that it extends into the recess 362 so that the retainer 70 tends to be supported by the walls of the socket 362 to further brace the retainer 70 to prevent the removal of the prong 34 and prong 434.

A releasable preventing means generally indicated at 500 is provided for preventing the removal of the retainer 70 from the retainer opening 60. The releasable preventing means 500 has as one of its parts the provision of an enlarged upper end 502. forming the outer end of the retainer 70 and the upper end 502 has a lock hole 506 therethrough. The releasable preventing means 500 further has as a part an annular jacket 520 protruding upwardly from and attached to and forming an integral part of the body 12, the jacket 520 having a jacket opening 524 which opens upwardly and which is larger than the retainer opening 60 for receiving the larger upper end 502.

The jacket 520 has a lock hasp aperture 540 therethrough in alignment with the lock hole 506 so that the hasp 546 of a padlock 560 can be inserted through the hole 506 and aperture 540 for locking the retainer in the body 12. The enlarged portion 502 of the retainer has an outward protruding portion 564 which extends outwardly from the jacket 520 sufiiciently for serving as a handle to be gripped by the fingers for convenient insertion and removal of the retainer 70.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the second prong recess 300 forms a mate to the first mentioned prong recess 20, both mated recesses entering from the same side of the body 12.

Further, in accordance with this invention, a second pair of mated recesses 60 and 602 are provided which enter the body on the opposite side from the side of the entry of the recesses 20 and 300. The second pair of mated recesses 600 and 602 serve to receive the prongs of a second plug 610, as seen in dotted lines in FIG- URE 2.

The mated prong recesses 600 and 602 are staggered with and alternated with the prongs 20 and 300 for conserving space and size.

Instead of the plug 610, an adapter, not shown, but normally used with the plug 40 could be put in place of the plug 610 to be locked together therewith to avoid loss.

As thus described, it is believed that this invention has provided a more economical safety plug block which is efiicient in its operation and which fulfills the objectives above set forth.

I claim:

1. A plug block having a body, a prong recess in a side of said body of a size for receiving the apertured prong of the plug of an electrical cord, said prong recess being elongated in dept-h and having side walls defining an etfective prong receiving space, which space as viewed 3 from the outside of said prong recess is defined by those portions of said prong receiving recess which are substantially in straight alignment with the outermost end of said prong-receiving recess whereby said space defines substantially that area of said recess which can be actually occupied by a substantially straight prong, said body having a retainer opening extending through another side of said body, said retainer opening being in alignment with said prong-receiving space in said prong recess and extending transversely to said prong recess, an elongated retainer disposed in said retainer opening and extending into said prong recess a substantial distance beyond that portion of said prong space which is nearest to the entrance of said retainer opening whereby when said retainer extends through the prong opening it retains said prong in said block, and releasable preventing means for preventing the removal of said retainer from its said prong retaining position, said body having another prong recess entering said body from an opposite side thereof from the said first-mentioned prong recess, said secondmentioned prong recess having the same defined relationship With respect to said retainer as said first-mentioned prong recess.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said first-mentioned prong recess has a mate entering said body from the same side as said first-mentioned prong recess for receiving the other prong of a plug, and further in which said prong recess also has a mate spaced therefrom and entering said body on the opposite side of said other prong recess for receiving the other prong of another plug.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,188,419 1/1940 Saviteer 70-164 2,662,389 12/1953 McKitrick 70-57 2,742,623 4/1956 Odegaard et al. 339-97 2,785,386 3/1957 Mason 339-97 3,281,758 10/1966 Appleton 339-97 FOREIGN PATENTS 353,296 5/1922 Germany.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. I. H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 70-57, 164 

